Ginger Pear Cake

This ginger pear cake is loaded with sweet butterscotch pears barely held together with a tasty batter of all-purpose and buckwheat flour and flavored with brandy and and crystalized ginger. 

This is a wonderful snacking cake, and it's also a great way to have cake for breakfast. After all, it's full of fruit just barely held together with batter. 

This cake is simple, with big chunks of fresh pear throughout. The pears really shine through in every bite. 

Ingredients in this Cake:

Butterscotch (Asian) pears: You will need about 1 1/2 pounds, which is about 3 pears. 

Pantry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, brandy, and vanilla extract.

Fridge Ingredients: Butter and eggs. 

Buckwheat Flour: It's an ancient grain that is actually not a wheat. It adds a nice earthy flavor. 

Crystalized Ginger: Be sure to chop it finely. 

Procedure:

First, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt. 

In another bowl, whisk the eggs and the sugar, brandy, and vanilla together. Whisk in the butter and flour in two stages and then add the apples and ginger, coating them with the batter. 

After than, pour the mixture into the parchment lined pan and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes. 

You can serve this cake warm!

For dessert when company's coming, this cake is best the first day it's made. For breakfast or snacks, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. 

You can re-warm slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds, or in a toaster oven for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees F. 

Serving Suggestions

We enjoyed slices of this cake plain, but you can serve this cake with a little whipped cream or crème fraîche on top. 

This cake is inspired by an iconic Dorie Greenspan recipe made with a variety of apples from Around My French Table. When Melissa Clark made the cake for her book, Dinner in French, she substituted some buckwheat flour and stirred in some candied ginger. 

The buckwheat adds an earthy flavor. If you don't have buckwheat, you can replace it with whole wheat or whole rye flour. 

I substituted these gorgeous Butterscotch Pears from Melissa's Produce and baked the cake in a 9-inch square pan from Anolon (both Melissa's and Anolon are prize sponsors for Spring Sweets Week). 

Anolon gave away a set of two of their half sheet pans. They are professional grade and oven safe to 550 degrees F.

Honestly, you can't have too many half sheet pans. I use mine constantly. Plus, there's nothing like a new shiny clean half sheet pan. 

In addition, I used crystalized ginger from one of our prize sponsors, Selefina. Selefina is an online spice shop from Adagio Teas. 

Their products are amazing. The quality! 

What are Butterscotch Pears?

They are Asian pears, actually imported for Melissa's Produce from South Korea. They are sweet, crunchy, and very "apple-like." They come individually cradled in a mesh wrapping to protect them during shipping and stocking. 

They are my absolute favorite pears. 

More Butterscotch (Asian) Pear Recipes:

Roasted Pear and Arugula Salad

Baked Pear Dessert

Pear and Smoked Sausage Flatbread Pizza

Pear Salsa

Pear and Cherry Sourdough Bread

Many thanks to Melissa's Produce for the unbelievably generous box of produce in honor of Spring Sweets Week. It's been a fun and nutritious adventure. 

P.S. If you love the combination of ginger and fruit, be sure to try Ginger Lime Tea Cake when you have a chance. 

Additional Bonus Recipe:

There were four boxes of kumquats in this amazing package from Melissa's. They're great for making candied kumquats, however, this time, I tried my hand at making a cocktail. 

This kumquat martini is amazing, and lends itself to many variations. I love it with gin, but you can use vodka, tequila, or even whiskey. 

You can also throw in a few mango slices for a sweeter cocktail, or some lemon juice, for a more sour flavor. 

This cocktail includes 6 kumquats, halved and seeded, the juices of 4 limes, a spoonful of limeade concentrate, 6 ice cubes, plus gin and Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Just blend everything together and pour it into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Welcome to #SpringSweetsWeek 2023 hosted by Heather from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks! 

The sun is shining, the weather is getting warmer, and we are celebrating the beginning of spring with plenty of spring sweets and a fun giveaway! This year 20 food bloggers from around the country are sharing over 75 sweet recipes that are perfect for spring. So get ready to enjoy amazing spring treats like cupcakes, cookies, pies, jams, and even a few beverages! 

In the meantime, here are more Spring Sweets Week Recipes:

Blood Orange Dutch Baby by That Recipe

Carrot Cake Biscotti by The Spiffy Cookie

Carrot Pie by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Chocolate Orange Pots de Creme by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Chocolate Pots de Creme with Pink Peppercorns by Sweet Beginnings

Eggless Orange Icecream by Magical Ingredients

Ginger Pear Cake by Karen's Kitchen Stories

Key Lime Fudge by Family Around the Table

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies by Cookaholic Wife

Lemon Crumb Cake by Kate's Recipe Box

Lemon Ginger Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Mango Fruit Custard by Palatable Pastime

Mango Mousse by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Sticky Spiced Orange Biscuits by Shockingly Delicious

Super Moist Mango Coconut Cake by Blogghetti

Triple Citrus Ginger Scones by Jolene's Recipe Journal

We share recipes from #SpringSweetsWeek on Pinterest! Make sure you follow the board to see all the delicious recipes shared this week.

Ginger Pear Cake

Yield: 10 to 12 slices

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

This ginger pear cake is loaded with sweet butterscotch pears barely held together with a tasty batter of all-purpose and buckwheat flour and flavored with brandy and and crystalized ginger.

Ingredients

• 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 97 grams (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 29 grams (3 tablespoons) buckwheat flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 150 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 pounds Butterscotch/Asian pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3 pears)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped crystalized ginger

Instructions

1. Spray a 9-inch square cake pan with spray oil and line it with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy and then whisk in the sugar, brandy, and vanilla. Whisk in half of the butter and half of the flour mixture. Repeat with the rest of the butter and flour mixture.
4. Fold in the pears and the ginger.
5. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, and then lift the cake out onto a wire rack. Cut into slices and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

251.15

Fat (grams)

10.48 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

6.16 g

Carbs (grams)

35.51 g

Fiber (grams)

2.72 g

Net carbs

32.79 g

Sugar (grams)

21.85 g

Protein (grams)

3.04 g

Sodium (milligrams)

107.23 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

61.49 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2023/03/ginger-pear-cake.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

pears, ginger

dessert, cake

French

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